The Best Halloween Books for Kids: Our Spooky Season Favorites
Get into the Halloween spirit with our family's favorite spooky season reads! From friendly ghosts to rhyming witches, discover the best children's books to add to your fall reading list.
In our house, it’s the season for pumpkin patches, spooky crafts, unhinged outfits (that are shockingly not costumes), and, of course, the best Halloween books for kids. We've curated a list of our current favorites that we love to read together. They're full of friendly frights, fun rhymes, and meaningful lessons.
Stories That Spark Imagination
Tuesday by David Wiesner
I thought my word-loving kids might miss having a storyline in this pictures-only book, but the illustrations are so good that they love inventing the story together.
The Good, the Bad, and the Spooky by Jory John
Another author and illustrator duo we’re pretty obsessed with in this house. Their stories always have a lesson to learn wrapped in lots of laughs.
The Halloween Tree by Susan Montanari
This is the story of a Christmas tree farm reject’s transformation into the "trick or tree"—it's one of my all-time favorite Halloween reads.
Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White
An imaginative and engaging story of Rebecca, a woman with a pumpkin prejudice, who learns to turn her lemons into lemonade—or, in this case, her pumpkins into pies!
Books About Friendly Ghosts & Witches
Gustavo, the Shy Ghost by Flavia Zdrago
I love this author so much. Gustavo has been a favorite for years, and we love Vlad just as much, too.
Vlad, The Fabolous Vampire by Flavia Zdrago
I love this author so much. Gustavo has been a favorite for years, and we love Vlad just as much, too.
Pumpkin Jack by Will Hubbell
This book brings the life cycle of a plant to life in a fun, fictional story of a pumpkin named Jack.
Room on the Broom by Corrinne Averiss, illustrated by Julia Donaldson
A captivating rhyming tale of a kind witch who teaches a powerful lesson about inclusivity.
There’s a Ghost In This House by Oliver Jeffers
We have so much fun ghost hunting through these beautiful illustrations, with shrieks and giggles at every turn.
The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt by Riel Nason
This is an adorable story about how the things that make us different are the very things that make us special.
The fun doesn't end when the book closes.
You've found the perfect stories for your Halloween reading basket. Now, let’s keep the festive spirit going! For more ideas to make your holidays and everyday moments special, check out our list of The Best Children's Books for Thanksgiving. What are your family's favorite Halloween books? Share them with us on Instagram!